The "Freeola Customer Forum" forum, which includes Retro Game Reviews, has been archived and is now read-only. You cannot post here or create a new thread or review on this forum.
The Mummy Returns. Probably not the most original title ever, think Batman Returns, again a sequal which is bigger and supposedly better than the original. As with Batman the thrills are escalated to epic poportions through a sucession of special effects. With the Mummy Returns this destroys the nature of the original, the fun and the humour is lost in order to create a continuous effects reel with, what has to be said some very shoddy CGI.
The original Mummy was a fun blockbuster which did rely on special effects to drive its narrative towards its inevitable conclusion. However, it was the characteristaion of Rick o'Connell and Evelyn which optimised the film subverting the standard blockbuster stereotypes by making them so obvious that bery become a paradoy of adventure films such as the Indianna Jones series. This is absent in Stephen Sommer's lackluster sequel. The relationship between the two main protagionists is ignored in order to advance the characteristaion of John Hannah's character. Always the comic relief in the original film Hannah's character does not deserve THAT much screen time. As for the little kid what were they thinking! We are talking an error of judgement to "Jar Jar" proportions.
Anyway to the point, the CGI is terrible. Which is often the problem with over ambitious projects which are pushed against deadlines which are not phyically possible to fulfill. From the opening sequence with the Scorpian King the CGI is lacking in realism. Now this may not seem important as this is a fantasy film but it mars an already struggling film. A sequence where an oasis grows from the earth to replenish the Scorpian King's energy is surprisingly cartoonish with little basis in reality. Where the original relied on CGI to conjour illustions of multitudinous scarb beetles and Impotep's degredation to heighten the atmosphere the sequel employs CGI to create digital armies, ambitious locales and the Scorpian King finale.
The Scorpian King was a terrible idea from the start. I mean does any one know what the Rock was cooking this time. It was obviously designed as a catalyst for his own film and is a dire atempt at moving the franchise forward. What makes this idea even more insulting is that the Rocks natural charisma is severly lacking as he does not have a speaking part (unless you count ancient egyptian). The CGI is frankly laughable in the finale. The idea of a half man half scorpian is in keeping with egyptian mythology with Annubis being an obvious example, but the execution is flawed. Apparently it was completed ten days before distribution and this can be seen. It looks like a computer game on any close ups and from a distance it doesn't fit in with the environments. A fun film but the CG is diasterous.
The original Mummy was a fun blockbuster which did rely on special effects to drive its narrative towards its inevitable conclusion. However, it was the characteristaion of Rick o'Connell and Evelyn which optimised the film subverting the standard blockbuster stereotypes by making them so obvious that bery become a paradoy of adventure films such as the Indianna Jones series. This is absent in Stephen Sommer's lackluster sequel. The relationship between the two main protagionists is ignored in order to advance the characteristaion of John Hannah's character. Always the comic relief in the original film Hannah's character does not deserve THAT much screen time. As for the little kid what were they thinking! We are talking an error of judgement to "Jar Jar" proportions.
Anyway to the point, the CGI is terrible. Which is often the problem with over ambitious projects which are pushed against deadlines which are not phyically possible to fulfill. From the opening sequence with the Scorpian King the CGI is lacking in realism. Now this may not seem important as this is a fantasy film but it mars an already struggling film. A sequence where an oasis grows from the earth to replenish the Scorpian King's energy is surprisingly cartoonish with little basis in reality. Where the original relied on CGI to conjour illustions of multitudinous scarb beetles and Impotep's degredation to heighten the atmosphere the sequel employs CGI to create digital armies, ambitious locales and the Scorpian King finale.
The Scorpian King was a terrible idea from the start. I mean does any one know what the Rock was cooking this time. It was obviously designed as a catalyst for his own film and is a dire atempt at moving the franchise forward. What makes this idea even more insulting is that the Rocks natural charisma is severly lacking as he does not have a speaking part (unless you count ancient egyptian). The CGI is frankly laughable in the finale. The idea of a half man half scorpian is in keeping with egyptian mythology with Annubis being an obvious example, but the execution is flawed. Apparently it was completed ten days before distribution and this can be seen. It looks like a computer game on any close ups and from a distance it doesn't fit in with the environments. A fun film but the CG is diasterous.
I agree with wot u say about the kid. he shudnt be in it. And there was no point with the rock cos he didnt do jack all. i read in a review that the producers were so impressed with his performance they were thinking of making a prequel about the Scorpion King. he didnt exactly have to do much, run, fight, speak a lin, fall to his knees... did i miss anything? on a side matter i thought AI and 6th sense were crap due to the very rubbish performances of Harvey Joel Osmont. In 6th Sense he sits in a corner whimpering about seenig dead people. in AI he sits in a corner whimpering about how his mum doesnt love him. Thats cos ur a freakin robot. can he do anything but whimper? i no kids cant do much in films these days cos of the whole insurance scheme about what would happen if they injured themselves. But really cant they put his so called 'acting talents' to better use???
and did u no that apparently wot the rock says in Egyptian loosely translates into "can u smell wot the rock is cooking?"
and did u no that apparently wot the rock says in Egyptian loosely translates into "can u smell wot the rock is cooking?"
The Mummy Returns. Probably not the most original title ever, think Batman Returns, again a sequal which is bigger and supposedly better than the original. As with Batman the thrills are escalated to epic poportions through a sucession of special effects. With the Mummy Returns this destroys the nature of the original, the fun and the humour is lost in order to create a continuous effects reel with, what has to be said some very shoddy CGI.
The original Mummy was a fun blockbuster which did rely on special effects to drive its narrative towards its inevitable conclusion. However, it was the characteristaion of Rick o'Connell and Evelyn which optimised the film subverting the standard blockbuster stereotypes by making them so obvious that bery become a paradoy of adventure films such as the Indianna Jones series. This is absent in Stephen Sommer's lackluster sequel. The relationship between the two main protagionists is ignored in order to advance the characteristaion of John Hannah's character. Always the comic relief in the original film Hannah's character does not deserve THAT much screen time. As for the little kid what were they thinking! We are talking an error of judgement to "Jar Jar" proportions.
Anyway to the point, the CGI is terrible. Which is often the problem with over ambitious projects which are pushed against deadlines which are not phyically possible to fulfill. From the opening sequence with the Scorpian King the CGI is lacking in realism. Now this may not seem important as this is a fantasy film but it mars an already struggling film. A sequence where an oasis grows from the earth to replenish the Scorpian King's energy is surprisingly cartoonish with little basis in reality. Where the original relied on CGI to conjour illustions of multitudinous scarb beetles and Impotep's degredation to heighten the atmosphere the sequel employs CGI to create digital armies, ambitious locales and the Scorpian King finale.
The Scorpian King was a terrible idea from the start. I mean does any one know what the Rock was cooking this time. It was obviously designed as a catalyst for his own film and is a dire atempt at moving the franchise forward. What makes this idea even more insulting is that the Rocks natural charisma is severly lacking as he does not have a speaking part (unless you count ancient egyptian). The CGI is frankly laughable in the finale. The idea of a half man half scorpian is in keeping with egyptian mythology with Annubis being an obvious example, but the execution is flawed. Apparently it was completed ten days before distribution and this can be seen. It looks like a computer game on any close ups and from a distance it doesn't fit in with the environments. A fun film but the CG is diasterous.
The original Mummy was a fun blockbuster which did rely on special effects to drive its narrative towards its inevitable conclusion. However, it was the characteristaion of Rick o'Connell and Evelyn which optimised the film subverting the standard blockbuster stereotypes by making them so obvious that bery become a paradoy of adventure films such as the Indianna Jones series. This is absent in Stephen Sommer's lackluster sequel. The relationship between the two main protagionists is ignored in order to advance the characteristaion of John Hannah's character. Always the comic relief in the original film Hannah's character does not deserve THAT much screen time. As for the little kid what were they thinking! We are talking an error of judgement to "Jar Jar" proportions.
Anyway to the point, the CGI is terrible. Which is often the problem with over ambitious projects which are pushed against deadlines which are not phyically possible to fulfill. From the opening sequence with the Scorpian King the CGI is lacking in realism. Now this may not seem important as this is a fantasy film but it mars an already struggling film. A sequence where an oasis grows from the earth to replenish the Scorpian King's energy is surprisingly cartoonish with little basis in reality. Where the original relied on CGI to conjour illustions of multitudinous scarb beetles and Impotep's degredation to heighten the atmosphere the sequel employs CGI to create digital armies, ambitious locales and the Scorpian King finale.
The Scorpian King was a terrible idea from the start. I mean does any one know what the Rock was cooking this time. It was obviously designed as a catalyst for his own film and is a dire atempt at moving the franchise forward. What makes this idea even more insulting is that the Rocks natural charisma is severly lacking as he does not have a speaking part (unless you count ancient egyptian). The CGI is frankly laughable in the finale. The idea of a half man half scorpian is in keeping with egyptian mythology with Annubis being an obvious example, but the execution is flawed. Apparently it was completed ten days before distribution and this can be seen. It looks like a computer game on any close ups and from a distance it doesn't fit in with the environments. A fun film but the CG is diasterous.